Books I've loved lately
Let’s talk books! Winter is a long, dark season around here and reading is one of the ways I lean into it. With Spring blooming in the yard, it’s time to share some of my favoritesI And please, share your recommendations in the comments - I always love hearing what you’ve been reading too!
sconce, duvet, rug, marble table top DIY
I’m really excited about this group of books! There’s fiction, nonfiction (okay, just one ;), new, old, popular, and not-so-popular books in here and I enjoyed every single one of them.
Like always, I’m sharing links to Amazon and Indiebound. Independent bookstores could use your support and Indiebound offers an easy way to find your local bookstore. I usually sustain my reading habit mostly through our local library and listen to their audio books on the Libby App, but I currently have a block on my account due to losing Big Nate’s A Good Old Fashion Wedgie (what a joy of a title ;). I’ll be getting my son his own library card in the future 🥴
Here are 11 books I’ve enjoyed lately…
Wish You Were Here, Jodi Picoult - This is the first novel I’ve read where the pandemic plays a prominent role and it’s as shocking to read about as it has been to live through. The story follows Diana, a woman who’s New York job, fiancé, and apartment are just as she had always planed. Then, on the precipice of the pandemic, she leaves behind her fiancé who is needed in the ER and heads out on vacation to the Galapagos alone. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Witches of New York, Ami McKay - I have a thing for magical realism and this book definitely falls into that category. When 17-year-old Beatrice answers an ad in the paper for a “…dependable shop girl. Those averse to magic need not apply.” she feels her certain it was placed there just for her. Beatrice’s unfound magical talents are fettered out and trained under her personable boses as they try to keep evil away. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Beautiful Ruins, Jess Walter - I’ve had this book on my nightstand for years, but never got into it until now. It’s the story of an almost-love affair in 1960’s Italy, an unplanned pregnancy, and the modern rekindling in California. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Book Women of Troublesome Creek, Kim Michele Richardson - this was such a good listen! The story follows Cussy, a tough member of the Pack Horse library service in the Appalacchias, and one of the last blue-skinned people in Kentucky. She confronts prejudice and brings people together with brooks. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Kindest Lie, Nancy Johnson - the story of Ruth, an Ivy-League educated Black engineer in Chicago who’s married to a wonderful man and who’s life is a seeming success. But as they begin to discuss having a baby, Ruth’s secret teenage pregnancy and subsequent adoption come surging into her present. I listened to this one and the audio copy is great! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Stand-In, Lily Chu - this book definitely falls on the ‘beach read’ side of fiction but I thoroughly enjoyed it! When Gracie, a Chinese American woman is mistaken for a famous Chinese actress, an elaborate ruse follows. Gracie becomes a stand-in for the actress and her life does a 180. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Hatchet, Gary Paulson - I read this one with my 6-year-old at bed time and I’m not sure who liked it more! The story follows Brian, a 13-year-old who crash lands in the Canadian wilderness and is the sole survivor. He has to learn to survive with nothing but the clothes on his back and the hatchet on his belt. This story is about so much more than just surviving, it’s about discovering courage you didn’t know you had and adapting no matter the circumstance. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Story Keeper, Lisa Wingate - Jen is a successful publisher in New York with a hidden past. When a mysterious novel appears on her desk, she travels to the Blue Ridge Mountains and back to the childhood she’s spent a decade forgetting. (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Wintering, Katherine May - A few readers recommended this one to me and I picked it up at the perfect time. It’s a beautiful, healing narrative about getting through the the trenches in life. Or as the Amazon description so eloquently put it, “an intimate, revelatory book exploring the ways we can care for and repair ourselves when life knocks us down.” (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson - I can’t recommend this book enough! After a woman’s death in modern-day California, her two children are surprised to learn of a long-lost sister, an unsolved muder, and hidden identities from tape recordings made in the days before her death. It’s a sweeping family drama spanning generations and circling the globe and it’s as mysterious as it is romantic, joyful, and delicious. I listened to the audio copy and the narrator was excellent! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
The Paper Palace, Miranda Cowley Heller - this book is a nail-bitter filled with secrets, lies, and love at a summer lake house, aka the Paper Palace. It spans 24 hours as Elle, a 50-year-old mother of 3, decides whether to stay with her husband or run away with her childhood best-friend and long-time crush. This book is as intense as it is beautiful and I had to put it down a couple of times, but it’s definitely worth a read! (amazon affiliate, indiebound)
What have you been reading lately?
